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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22730188">Valentines for Vantas</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NuancedNarrative/pseuds/NuancedNarrative'>NuancedNarrative</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Homestuck</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>I have no experience in the shipfic department, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 17:02:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,537</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22730188</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NuancedNarrative/pseuds/NuancedNarrative</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>John makes Karkat a cake for the red day. Karkat has no idea what Valentines is.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>John Egbert/Karkat Vantas</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Valentines for Vantas</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  You wake to your dark bedroom, the air outside of your blanket chilly. Blinking sleep from your eyes, you grab your glasses from the bedside table and put them on, putting the room into more focus. Outside your window lies a grey cloudy sky, a staple of winter in Washington. Trees are still barren from the season of cold, and an ever present wind blows through the streets. Another day spent inside with a blanket and hot cocoa, you think. You look over to your right and see a gray troll with nubby little horns sprawled on the other side of the bed.</p>
<p>His name was Karkat Vantas. While awake he was loud and brash and always made his presence known. Asleep, however, he looked peaceful. The first few nights he had slept in a pile in the corner, but without the sopor provided by his recuperacoon he was plagued with night terrors. It wasn't long before he was sleeping beside you. He sometimes still stirred in his sleep, but your embrace would always soothe this. It was useful in winter to have him close, too, as his mutant blood made his body temperature naturally warm. </p>
<p>After you were all booted out of the game to an earth where everything was normal again, you and your human cohorts agreed to shelter one or two trolls each. Dave had Terezi and Sollux, Rose had Kanaya, and Jade Feferi. You had taken Karkat and his moirail Gamzee, Karkat of course because he was your Matesprit and Gamzee because of his moirallegience with him. Their relationship functioned on the premise of Karkat ensuring Gamzee didn't go maniacal and start killing people. Your matesprit informed you that this was in fact a common relationship dynamic on his home planet of Alternia. Troll romance sure was weird.</p>
<p>You can't help but smile as you look at the sleeping troll. He was crabby and obnoxious and rude, most of all to you. But as you learned from your time with him, this was a sign of endearment. You guess you endeared him a lot judging by his use of the word "bulgemuncher" and "chagrin tunnel" in almost every sentence directed to you. On occasion, though, he showed a soft side to him, someone who genuinely cared about his friends and them getting along. It was in his aspect, Knight of Blood. It was the case of most trolls, actually. Having abrasive personality traits but hiding good qualities. Sometimes the other way around, as you found out with Gamzee.</p>
<p>You check your phone. You briefly check some pesterchum notifications before noticing the date. Today, the fourteenth of February, is Valentine's day. Slapping a hand to your head as you realize you didn't buy anything, you think of what you could do before your matesprit wakes up. Then you remember the fact that you can bake, and an idea forms in your head. Making sure not to wake the troll next to you, you quietely exit your room and go down the stairs. </p>
<p>Your father is standing in the kitchen, presumably about to do some eight am baking. He greets you and asks why you're up so early. You tell him you have a Valentine's cake to bake, and about an hour to do it before the reciever wakes up. He smiles and retrieves red food coloring and a heart shaped pan from a cupboard in the left corner. Your father truly had the supplies for every occasion. After you gather the rest of the ingredients the both of you get to work.</p>
<p>Once all the ingredients are mixed into the pan a half hour later, you put it in the oven to bake for twenty five minutes. The perfect timing to cook it, take it out and add frosting. You both had the art of cake making down to a science, a percect and precise process of mixing to making. Combined in a determined effort you could truly make anything. Half an hour passes and you take the cake out. Your father dollops red frosting around the edges as you put your message in the center. It was complete. You thank your Dad and with mittens equipped you take the cake upstairs and into your room.</p>
<p>Karkat is just waking up when you enter, and sits up at your arrival. He groggily looks to the cake, then to you.</p>
<p>"John, what the nooksniffing fuck is a 'Valentine's day?'" He asks. Your face turns to one of shock. He asks what the problem is.</p>
<p>"Karkat, are you serious? Are you telling me that trolls don't have Valentine's day either?! I mean, jeez, it's like you guys never have anything good going on."</p>
<p>"No, we didn't have whatever the fuck `Valentine's day' is. Also, yeah, Alternia was pretty fucking horrible what with caste based culling happening on a daily basis. Asshole." </p>
<p>"Oh, sorry." You say. He grunts, folding his arms and looking away. You walk over, cake still in hand. "Well, Valentines Day is when you give cards and stuff to people who are important to you and all that, and you go see a movie, usually a romantic comedy or something-"</p>
<p>"That's not a card. Also, did you say romantic comedies?" He interrupts. You nod and he continues "Huh. I guess it's not all bad. What's with the cake though? Is a part every one of your weird human holidays eating some staple food? Halloween is candy, Thanksgiving is shitty dry fake cluckbeast meat, and Christmas is just anything sugary?"</p>
<p>"Pretty much, yeah!" You say. "But well, I don't really have any card paper around, and plus I can bake so I figured a cake would make do. So...happy Valentine's!" You hold the cake out to him. He squints at you, probably about to comment about the fact that you obviously didn't care enough to remember to buy anything, but ends up sighing in resignation and taking the cake. He takes a forkful and a tentative bite. He then goes in for more. You feel accomplished having made something he likes. Your phone buzzes and you check to see Dave is pestering you. You decide to answer while Karkat enjoys your creation.</p>
<p><span class="dave"> turntechGodhead [TG]</span> <span class="pesterlog"> began pestering </span> <span class="john"> ectoBiologist [EB]</span></p>
<p>
  <span class="dave">TG: so have you explained the concept of valentines to nubs yet </span><br/>
<span class="john">EB: woah, how'd you know? </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: because i just had to explain it to tz after making her a sbahj valentines card </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: i am happy to report she is absolutely hooked on the idea </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: cause of all the red and shit </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: imagine having a drug addiction but instead of a drug its a color </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: and you can taste it </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: thats this chick right here and yeah i love her </span><br/>
<span class="john">EB: pfft. </span><br/>
<span class="john">EB: yeah, i gave him the rundown after he looked at me all confused when i brought him a cake. </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: you would do that you nerd haha </span><br/>
<span class="john">EB: well he's enjoying it, don't bash the culinary arts! </span><br/>
<span class="john">EB: i never bash your music. </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: because my music is fucking awesome </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: baking is like </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: something your dad does </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: in other words its laaaame </span><br/>
<span class="john">EB: well mister, you just had your cake having privileges revoked for your birthday! </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: aw man shoulda kissed the cook </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: fine baking is awesome </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: and heres a big fat kiss just for you </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: mwah </span><br/>
<span class="john">EB: hehehe! </span><br/>
<span class="john">EB: all part of my master plan! </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: egbert you fiend </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: the revoked cake bit was a ruse to recieve a kiss from my sexy self </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: i cant believe you would betray your best bro like this </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: im shaking and crying wtf </span><br/>
<span class="john">EB: karkat says stop being such a wuss. </span><br/>
<span class="john">EB: and that he's going to rip your lips off and shove them in your human nook. </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: doesnt him yelling insults means he likes you or whatever </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: or maybe its hatelove </span><br/>
<span class="john">EB: he says it's platonic comtempt for your very being. </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: aw man </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: i think hes just a huge fucking tsundere </span><br/>
<span class="john">EB: oh boy. </span><br/>
<span class="john">EB: he just asked me what a tsundere is. </span><br/>
<span class="dave">TG: oh my god </span><br/>
<span class="john">EB: i better take this. </span><br/>
</p>
<p>"What the bulgemunching fuck is a tsundere?!" Karkat exclaims. "I want to know what kind of insult that asshole just uttered." You try not to laugh and fail. The troll looks at you with confusion, and you take a moment to calm down. After you wiping your eyes, you start to explain "It's not an insult, really. It's a term from Japanese anime-" </p>
<p>"Oh, fuck." He mutters. </p>
<p>"Its basically a person who has a pretty thorny personality on the outside, but on the inside is soft and has a heart of gold. So basically you!" You finish. </p>
<p>"You're an idiot." He states simply. "Hah, that's exactly what a tsundere say!" You point out. "AND a dork. God, I could fucking go on." He groans. "Remind me why I love you again?"</p>
<p>You grin and sit beside him, bringing him into a hug. </p>
<p>"I think you just stated the reason, dude." </p>
<p>He considers this. Then he leans into the hug, wrapping his arms around you and sighing.</p>
<p>"Yeah, I guess. Happy Valentines, you dumbass."</p>
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